Tottenham players celebrate after scoring a goal against Aston Villa in the Premier League.Getty Images
Villa Park2:00 PM, May 3, 2026Coverage: USA Net/TeleBirmingham, England Attendance: 42,767Referees:Samuel Barrott
Villa Park2:00 PM, May 3, 2026Coverage: USA Net/TeleBirmingham, England Attendance: 42,767Referees:Samuel Barrott
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Nicol: Liverpool look ‘absolutely lost’ under Arne SlotSteve Nicol slams Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat to Manchester United and suggests Xabi Alonso as a replacement for Arne Slot.Burley: Man Utd should give Iraola the permanent roleCraig Burley gives his opinion on who Manchester United should hire as their permanent manager despite Michael Carrick’s success as interim boss.Transfer rumors, news: Inter Miami aim to pair Casemiro with MessiCasemiro could be the latest star to join Lionel Messi at Inter Miami. Transfer Talk has the latest.
Nicol: Liverpool look ‘absolutely lost’ under Arne SlotSteve Nicol slams Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat to Manchester United and suggests Xabi Alonso as a replacement for Arne Slot.Burley: Man Utd should give Iraola the permanent roleCraig Burley gives his opinion on who Manchester United should hire as their permanent manager despite Michael Carrick’s success as interim boss.Transfer rumors, news: Inter Miami aim to pair Casemiro with MessiCasemiro could be the latest star to join Lionel Messi at Inter Miami. Transfer Talk has the latest.
Nicol: Liverpool look ‘absolutely lost’ under Arne SlotSteve Nicol slams Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat to Manchester United and suggests Xabi Alonso as a replacement for Arne Slot.Burley: Man Utd should give Iraola the permanent roleCraig Burley gives his opinion on who Manchester United should hire as their permanent manager despite Michael Carrick’s success as interim boss.Transfer rumors, news: Inter Miami aim to pair Casemiro with MessiCasemiro could be the latest star to join Lionel Messi at Inter Miami. Transfer Talk has the latest.
ByPAUpdated: May 3, 2027, 04:35 pmFacebookFacebook MessengerTwitterEmail
Tottenham looked like a team destined to secure Premier League survival after they beat a dire Aston Villa 2-1 to move out of the bottom three.
Spurs put in their best performance of the season to claim three crucial points at Villa Park, thanks to first-half goals from Conor Gallagher and Richarlison.
They look a different side under Roberto De Zerbi, registering back-to-back league victories for the first time since August, and are now favorites to beat the drop.
The way they pressed and won back possession all over the pitch was reminiscent of De Zerbi’s Brighton, giving every indication Spurs will be a top-flight team next season.
They were fortunate to come up against a Villa side who produced their worst display of the season, with their attention clearly on Thursday’s Europa League semifinal second leg against Nottingham Forest.
Unai Emery’s men still have their league business to look after, though, and missed the chance to all but seal a Champions League spot for next season.
Tottenham came into the game buoyed by West Ham’s 3-0 defeat at Brentford on Saturday and they will have been further enthused when they saw a Villa side featuring seven changes from their midweek loss to Forest in Europe.
They were the better team from the off and had a great chance to open the scoring inside two minutes.
Gallagher pressed well and forced Villa into a mistake playing out from the back, with the ball finding Richarlison 12 yards out, but his shot was blocked.
A long throw was headed out to the on-loan Atlético Madrid midfielder, who slammed a 25-yard shot into the bottom corner.
Spurs were within inches of making it 2-0 five minutes later. João Palhinha shot from distance and his low 20-yard shot was heading into the bottom corner until Emiliano Martínez tipped it onto the post.
Villa were abject and were again reliant on their Argentinian goalkeeper to keep the deficit at one as he palmed Randal Kolo Muani’s far-post effort over the crossbar.
Mathys Tel’s cross was begging to be converted and Richarlison obliged, nodding into an empty net after Martinez came out.
They were quicker, stronger and smarter than their opponents, who looked like their hearts were not in it.
Villa Park2:00 PM, May 3, 2026Coverage: USA Net/TeleBirmingham, England Attendance: 42,767
Villa Park2:00 PM, May 3, 2026Coverage: USA Net/Tele
TeamGPWDLGDPArsenal352375+4176Manchester City332175+3770Manchester United3518107+1564Liverpool3517711+1258Aston Villa3517711+458AFC Bournemouth3512167+352Brentford3514912+651Brighton & Hove Albion35131111+750Chelsea3413912+848Fulham3514615-548Everton3413813047Sunderland35121112-947Newcastle United3513616-245Leeds United35101312-543Crystal Palace34111013-643Nottingham Forest3410915-439Tottenham Hotspur3591016-937West Ham United359917-1936Burnley354823-3620Wolverhampton Wanderers353923-3818
TeamGPWDLGDPArsenal352375+4176Manchester City332175+3770Manchester United3518107+1564Liverpool3517711+1258Aston Villa3517711+458AFC Bournemouth3512167+352Brentford3514912+651Brighton & Hove Albion35131111+750Chelsea3413912+848Fulham3514615-548Everton3413813047Sunderland35121112-947Newcastle United3513616-245Leeds United35101312-543Crystal Palace34111013-643Nottingham Forest3410915-439Tottenham Hotspur3591016-937West Ham United359917-1936Burnley354823-3620Wolverhampton Wanderers353923-3818
Nicol: Liverpool look ‘absolutely lost’ under Arne Slot
Burley: Man Utd should give Iraola the permanent role
Transfer rumors, news: Inter Miami aim to pair Casemiro with Messi
Aston VillaAston VillaAVL17-7-11, 58 PTS117-7-11, 58 PTSFTTottenham HotspurSpursTOT9-10-16, 37 PTS29-10-16, 37 PTS
Steve Nicol slams Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat to Manchester United and suggests Xabi Alonso as a replacement for Arne Slot.
Craig Burley gives his opinion on who Manchester United should hire as their permanent manager despite Michael Carrick’s success as interim boss.
Casemiro could be the latest star to join Lionel Messi at Inter Miami. Transfer Talk has the latest.
A deserved lead came in the 12th minute as Gallagher scored his first goal for the club.
However, from the resulting 25th minute corner, Spurs doubled their advantage.
Spurs were in dreamland and deserved every bit of their success.
But this was to be Tottenham’s night as they made a big move toward securing survival.
2025-26 English Premier LeagueAston VillaAston VillaAVL17-7-11, 58 PTS117-7-11, 58 PTSFTTottenham HotspurSpursTOT9-10-16, 37 PTS29-10-16, 37 PTSEmiliano Buendía – 90’+6’Conor Gallagher – 12’Richarlison – 25′
2025-26 English Premier LeagueAston VillaAston VillaAVL17-7-11, 58 PTS117-7-11, 58 PTSFTTottenham HotspurSpursTOT9-10-16, 37 PTS29-10-16, 37 PTSEmiliano Buendía – 90’+6’Conor Gallagher – 12’Richarlison – 25′
2025-26 English Premier LeagueAston VillaAston VillaAVL17-7-11, 58 PTS117-7-11, 58 PTSFTTottenham HotspurSpursTOT9-10-16, 37 PTS29-10-16, 37 PTSEmiliano Buendía – 90’+6’Conor Gallagher – 12’Richarlison – 25′
Aston VillaAston VillaAVL17-7-11, 58 PTS117-7-11, 58 PTS
Tottenham HotspurSpursTOT9-10-16, 37 PTS29-10-16, 37 PTS
Emiliano Buendía – 90’+6’Conor Gallagher – 12’Richarlison – 25′
TeamGPWDLGDPArsenal352375+4176Manchester City332175+3770Manchester United3518107+1564Liverpool3517711+1258Aston Villa3517711+458AFC Bournemouth3512167+352Brentford3514912+651Brighton & Hove Albion35131111+750Chelsea3413912+848Fulham3514615-548Everton3413813047Sunderland35121112-947Newcastle United3513616-245Leeds United35101312-543Crystal Palace34111013-643Nottingham Forest3410915-439Tottenham Hotspur3591016-937West Ham United359917-1936Burnley354823-3620Wolverhampton Wanderers353923-3818
TeamGPWDLGDPArsenal352375+4176Manchester City332175+3770Manchester United3518107+1564Liverpool3517711+1258Aston Villa3517711+458AFC Bournemouth3512167+352Brentford3514912+651Brighton & Hove Albion35131111+750Chelsea3413912+848Fulham3514615-548Everton3413813047Sunderland35121112-947Newcastle United3513616-245Leeds United35101312-543Crystal Palace34111013-643Nottingham Forest3410915-439Tottenham Hotspur3591016-937West Ham United359917-1936Burnley354823-3620Wolverhampton Wanderers353923-3818
TeamGPWDLGDPArsenal352375+4176Manchester City332175+3770Manchester United3518107+1564Liverpool3517711+1258Aston Villa3517711+458AFC Bournemouth3512167+352Brentford3514912+651Brighton & Hove Albion35131111+750Chelsea3413912+848Fulham3514615-548Everton3413813047Sunderland35121112-947Newcastle United3513616-245Leeds United35101312-543Crystal Palace34111013-643Nottingham Forest3410915-439Tottenham Hotspur3591016-937West Ham United359917-1936Burnley354823-3620Wolverhampton Wanderers353923-3818
TeamGPWDLGDPArsenal352375+4176Manchester City332175+3770Manchester United3518107+1564Liverpool3517711+1258Aston Villa3517711+458AFC Bournemouth3512167+352Brentford3514912+651Brighton & Hove Albion35131111+750Chelsea3413912+848Fulham3514615-548Everton3413813047Sunderland35121112-947Newcastle United3513616-245Leeds United35101312-543Crystal Palace34111013-643Nottingham Forest3410915-439Tottenham Hotspur3591016-937West Ham United359917-1936Burnley354823-3620Wolverhampton Wanderers353923-3818